Coal-loading apparatus



J. H. MILLER.

COAL LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FlLED NOV.16,1920.

1,41 1,928. Patented Apr. 4, 1922,

3 SHEETS-SHEET WITNES ATTORNEY -1. H. MILLER.

COAL LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.l6, 1920.

, Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEETZ. 5 9- A HUMAN!!! 32 Emilie)" INVENTOR ATTORNEY 1. H.MILLER.

COAL LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION. FILED NOV.I6 1920.

1,41 1,928. I Patnted Apr. 4, 1922. I

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INVENTOR 5% %z%/@ myzm WITNES: ATTORNEY UNITED STATESPATENT, OFFICE.

JOHN H. MILLER, OF MACDUNN, WEST VIRGINIA.

COAL-LOADING- APPARATUS.

Application filed November 16, 1920. Serial Ho. 424,399.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MILLER, a

Citizen of the United States, residing at Mac- Dunn, in the county'ofFayette and State of West Virginia, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Coal-Loading Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification. This invention relates to means for loading railway cars,trucks, wagons and the like and is especially designed for loading coalcars at the mine.

An object of the invention is the p1'0-' vision of means whereby thetransfer of coal from the mine dump to railway cars is facilitated, thesaid invention including a power operated shovel or scoop, which takesup coal and transfers it from the dump to the cars.

Another object is the provision of means for automatically throwing offthe drag cable of the scoop from the guide pulley, both in the forwardand return movement of the said scoop.

A further object is the provision of a novel form of scoop= which will'dig into and gather its load and carry the same to the cars with amimimum amount of power.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a'loading mech- I anismconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail plan view of the loading scoop.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same. Figure 4 is a centrallongitudinal sectional view. 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the throw-off pulley and aportion of the drag cable, the latter being in a position j 11st priorto the throw-off operation.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure '5 showing the cable about to leavethe throwoif pulley.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherelike characters of referencedenote correspending parts, the reference character M,

indicates a portion of a main track which is located adjacent a minecoal dump lndicatedat D, the latter being located within an enclosurebounded by a wall or fence W. The dump enclosure is open as indicated atO and extending from this opening is an inclined chute S, which hassuitably secured at one end an extention E, which is adapted to be movedinto position to bridge the space between the'end of the chute S and therailway car R. All of the foregoing may be of the usual or any preferredarrangement.

Located upon the side of the track opposite the dump D and in a linewith the chute S is a spur track indicated at 10. This track is designedto accommodate the operating mechanism which is mounted upon a wheelsupported platform or car 11. This car may be operated upon the maintrack M and transferred to the spur track 10 by means of aturn table 13of any approved construction.

Mounted upon the car 11 is an engine, preferably of the hoisting type asshown at Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aim. 4, 1922 14. Thisengine is designed to operate a plurality of drums 1,5, 16 and 17, thelatter drag cable 24, which is (xmnected to a scoop 25 and which passesover a throw-off guide pulley 26. Also'connected to the scoop 25' is aninhaul drag cable 27, which. passes around guide pulleys 28 and is woundupon the drum 16. Thus, when the drums are rotated in one direction thecable 24 will operate to pull the scoop inward or toward the car 11 andwhen the drums are rotated in an opposite direction, the cable 27 willoperate to pull the scoop outward or away from the car 11, the cable 24being simultaneously paid out.

The scoop 25 which is shown in detail in Fi res 2, 3 and 4, comprises abottom 29 anfl side walls 30, which converge at one end to provide arear wall 31, to which one end of the cable 27 is secured. The oppositeend of the scoop is provided with a flared mouth, while the forward edgeof'the bottom 29 is curved downwardly as indicated at 32 so as to exerta digging action and force the coal or other material within the body ofthe scoop as the latter is dragged along. The forward edge of the bottom29 has extensions upon either side as indicated at 33, the saidextensions curving upward and forward as shown in Figure 4. a Thisprevents the edge 32 from digging too deeply into the coal and thusfacilitates the movement of the scoop.

The cable 24 is connected to the scoop throu h the medium of a bail 34,whose ends are pivoted to the sides of the scoop as shown at 35. Theforward ends of thesides are connected by an arch 36, which may be usedas a handle if desired.

B reference to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be apparent that inorder to move the .scoop from the position shown over the chute S to thecar R, it will be necessary to disengage the cable 24 from the guidepulley 26 and one of the novel features of the invention resides in ther'ovision of means for automatically accomp ishing this operation. Forthis purpose the cable 24 carries an obstruction or button 37 and thepulley 26 has one of its flanges provided with a number of flattenedportions 38, whereby the depth of the pulley groove will be reduced atthese points. The groove of this pulley is designed to accommodate thecable 24 and as the diameter of the button 37 is greater, when thisbutton reaches the pulley it will cause the cable to ride upward fromthe groove and as the depth of the latter has been reduced bycutting-away or flattening the pulley flange, the cable will beautomaticall thrown ofl or disengaged from the pill ey so that the scoop25 may move over the chute to the car B. After the scoop has dumped itsloadit is drawn outward or away from the car by engaging'the cable 27over the pulley 26, the cable 27 is also provided with a button 37 so asto be automatically thrown off the said pulley. As

soon as the scoop and the other button 37 passes the pulley 26, thecable is reengaged with the said pulley.

Wound upon the drum 17 is a cable 39,

'which passes over guidepulleys 40 and is in reserved to make suchchanges as properly fall within the'scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a loadingmechanism, the combination with a source of power, a cable operatedscoop, means for guidingl the scoop in a direction at right angles to te line of pull, of a pulley provided with an interrupted flange andincluded in said guiding'means and means carried by the cable andco-operating with the pulley for automatically disengaging said cablefrom the pulley.

2. n a loading mechanism, the combination with a source of power, acable operated scoop and means for uiding the scoo in a direction atright ang es to the line 0 pull, of a pulley included in said guidingmeans, said pulley being grooved and having its flange upon one side ofvthe groove formed with a plurality of flattened portions to reduce thede th of said groove and means carried by t e cable to provide anenlarged portion, whereby the cable will be automatically thrown off thepulley when the enlarged portion reaches a reduced portion of thegroove.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN HQMILLER.

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